Sichuan Eyes Commercial Spaceport as China Aggressively Scales its Inland Orbital Gateway

Sichuan province has unveiled an ambitious roadmap to transform China’s interior into a global aerospace powerhouse, announcing plans to build the “Western Commercial Spaceport” following a 2025 where its industry scale already hit 50 billion yuan. During a National Space Administration press conference, provincial officials detailed a “Fifteenth Five-Year Plan” strategy that shifts Sichuan from a mere launch site to a vertically integrated industrial titan. The plan centers on a “dual-core” leadership model between the Chengdu metropolitan area and Liangshan Prefecture, supported by a “Rocket Triangle” (Chengdu-Mianyang-Ziyang) and a “Satellite Multi-point Pattern” (Chengdu-Xichang-Mianyang). By prioritizing mass-produced rockets and a world-class…